The advent of set-top box devices has provided users of media services with access to a large number and variety of media content choices. For example, a user of a media service may choose to access and experience a variety of media content and specific services such as broadcast television programs, pay-per-view services, video-on-demand programming, Internet services, and audio programming by way of a set-top box device.
A provider of such a media service (“service provider”) typically obtains media content from one or more content providers and makes the media content accessible to users of the media service, such as by distributing the media content to set-top box devices operated by the users of the media service. The service provider has a vested interest in maximizing competitive advantage and user satisfaction with the media service, such as by providing robust features for use by users of the media service to conveniently access media content. Certain content providers, on the other hand, have a vested interest in controlling (e.g., restricting) how the media content is distributed so as to prevent piracy, protect the value of the media content, and maximize revenue. In view of these interests, content providers often restrict how the service provider distributes the media content. For example, certain content providers require that the service provider restrict the accessibility of media content provided by the content providers by limiting access to the media content to only certain locations such as the homes of the users where dedicated set-top box devices are located. Consequently, users of the media service are unable to access certain media content through the media service when the users are at other locations away from dedicated set-top box devices.